Four-star food. One-star service.
FRAMEWORK: I checked out the Gallo Blanco/Clarendon grounds on behalf of a friend who was considering a stay at the Clarendon this fall. And because I used to live in Mexico City and sorely miss "comida dfeƱa" (most Mexican food in Phoenix is Sonorense), my hopes were high. I set out for dinner around 7:45 pm on a Saturday.
FOOD: The pollo asado was delicious and moist, the vegetables fresh and properly cooked (though nothing particularly Mexico City-esque jumped out at me about the dish). Good Mexican and domestic beers on tap. And that is where my food review ends. Hey, don't hold it against me! I would have ordered more dishes to review if someone had bothered checking to my table!
FORGETFULNESS: To sum it up, the service was... indifferent. I requested a seat outside and was relegated to the empty north patio, though most guests were to the east. (Could this be because my 3-year-old guest was dissuasive to their target hipster demo?)
FRUSTRATION: Nobody brought us waters though it was 108 degrees outside. The server took our drink orders and disappeared for about 15 minutes. Upon returning he asked if we planned to eat. Kind of a weird way to phrase the question, but I ordered. Then I sat there empty-handed for 20 minutes. I eventually flagged down a runner to ask for waters. Our dish arrived without the appropriate sides (tortillas and salsa).
Once our food had turned cold, the server literally stuck his head out the patio door - "everything OK?" - and turned to walk inside before I really had a chance to speak the truth: "No! It's not OK! The service here is terrible and you just lost a customer!"
FAIL: I wrote the management but no response. It's particularly shameful they don't care to address this issue; I work in business development and my husband's firm is literally across the street. I could have served as a positive reference, but instead I'm going to have to dissuade my network from patronizing this joint.